9 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demonsk and to cure diseases,l2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of Godm and to heal the sick. 3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt.n4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”o6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.

7 Now Herodp the tetrarch heard about all that was going on. And he was perplexed because some were saying that Johnq had been raised from the dead,r8 others that Elijah had appeared,s and still others that one of the prophets of long ago had come back to life.t9 But Herod said, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” And he tried to see him.u

10 When the apostlesv returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida,w11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God,x and healed those who needed healing.

12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”

13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”

They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” 14 (About five thousand men were there.)

But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them.y Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

21 Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.d22 And he said, “The Son of Mane must suffer many thingsf and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law,g and he must be killedh and on the third dayi be raised to life.”j

23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.k24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.l25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? 26 Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of themm when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.n

27 “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.”

28 About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and Jameso with him and went up onto a mountain to pray.p29 As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. 30 Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. 31 They spoke about his departure,aq which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. 32 Peter and his companions were very sleepy,r but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. 33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master,s it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

34 While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen;t listen to him.”u36 When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.v

37 The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 38 A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 40 I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”

41 “You unbelieving and perverse generation,”w Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”

42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the impure spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, 44 “Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men.”x45 But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it,y and they were afraid to ask him about it.

46 An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.z47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts,a took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.b For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.”c

49 “Master,”d said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us.”

50 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said, “for whoever is not against you is for you.”e

Samaritan Opposition

51 As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,f Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.g52 And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritanh village to get things ready for him; 53 but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 54 When the disciples James and Johni saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy themb?”j55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 Then he and his disciples went to another village.

60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”n

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.”o

62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

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